‘Greatest gift we can give anyone is our ear, just to listen’ – Paddy Joe Burke

The greatest gift we can give anyone is “our ear, just to listen”, proud Rossie and barber Paddy Joe Burke told a gathering last week.

Paddy Joe was among several special guest speakers who took part in an event at Kilbride Community Centre to mark National Men’s Health Week.

Hosted by Roscommon Leader Partnership in partnership with HSE Community Healthcare West, the evening was aimed at providing individuals and families in County Roscommon and surrounding areas with information and awareness to promote better health among men.

Addressing the large gathering on Wednesday of last week, Mr Burke, who was recently appointed an Age Friendly Ambassador for Roscommon, said he was privileged and honoured to be a barber for 52 two years “in the greatest city in the world”.

“I met the most wonderful people - the knowledge, the information, sometimes the sadness of the men in the chair,” he said.

Highlighting the importance of mental health for both young and old, he gave several examples of customers who had reached out to him for help. He spoke about them being afraid and having no one to turn to for help.

“You know, when you are a barber, you get very good at detecting body language. We have beautiful, flowery language to describe things when we are not feeling well. ‘I’ve no energy’. ‘I'm very tired’. ‘It's a heavy evening’.

“We'd say everything except ‘I'm depressed’ and ‘I’m in bad form’. There's nothing wrong about having a bad day,” he stressed.

Mr Burke said the greatest gift we could give anyone, all of us, is “our ear, just to listen.” “Allow people to talk and tonight, it's lovely to see everyone but what about the people that are not here who are struggling this evening,” he said.

Before concluding his address, Mr Burke asked everyone to buy an apple tart. “Can I just say to all of us can we get an apple tart, and call to someone that we love, someone that was first good to us when we were kids, someone who is living alone. Buy the apple tart, call to them, make them a cup of tea and don't be buying flowers for them when they're dead.

“Have a slice of the apple tart and just sit and listen and talk. Interaction is the best antidepressant for all of us,” he said.

During the evening, Laura Tully, founder and facilitator of the hugely successful ‘Fit Farmers Programme’ delivered an informative talk on specific practical tips for men to promote healthier lifestyles.

Motivational speaker and former rugby player Fergus Farrell also gave a very powerful talk about his own incredible journey in overcoming his personal battle with traumatic spinal injury.

The other main speaker on the night was Adam Woods, Deputy Editor of the Irish Farmers Journal, who spoke about the challenges and opportunities for people living in rural Ireland.

Other speakers on the night included Laurence Gaughan, HSE Health and Wellbeing, Community Healthcare West; Ronan Bilbow, Social Prescribing Link Worker, and Caroline Dermody from Croí, The West of Ireland Cardiac Foundation.

There were numerous information stands at the event, and attendees also had the opportunity to get their blood pressure checked.

The highly acclaimed Roscommon Men’s Choir closed out the evening with a repertoire of uplifting songs.

*MC on the night was Roscommon Herald Deputy Editor, Richard Canny.